USPTO Patents Application 09748277

This Page Is Inserted by IFW Operations
and is not a part of the Official Record

BEST AVAILABLE IMAGES

Defective images within this document are accurate representations of
the original documents submitted by the applicant.

Defects in the images may include (but are not limited to):

BLACK BORDERS

TEXT CUT OFF AT TOP, BOTTOM OR SFDES

FADED TEXT

fLLEGfBLETEXT

SKEV\nED/SLANTED [MAGES
COLORED PItOTOS

BLACK OR VERV BLACK AND VVT{[TE DARK PHOTOS
GRAY SCALE DOCUMENTS

IMAGES ARE BEST AVAILABLE COPY.

As rescanning documents mil not correct images,
please do not report the images to the
Image Problem Mailbox.

United States Patent and Trademark Office

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
P.O.Box 1450

Alexandria, Virginia 223 1 3-1 450
www.uspto.gov

APPLICATION NO.

FILING DATE

FIRST NAMED INVENTOR

ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.

CONFIRMATION NO.

09/748,277

12/27/2000

Jae-Lag Ma

8733.363.00

4729

30827 7590 10/10/2003

MCKENNA long & ALDRIDGE LLP
1900 K STREET, NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20006

EXAMINER

RUDE. TIMOTHY L

ART UNIT

PAPER NUMBER

2871

DATE MAILED: 10/10/2003

Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.

PTO-90C (Rev. 10/03)

Office Action Summary

Application No.

09/748,277

Examiner

Timothy L Rud

Applicant(s)

MA ET AL

Art Unit

2871

The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on th cover sheet with the correspond nc address -
Period for Reply

A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTH(S) FROM
THE IVIAILING DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.

- Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.

- If the period for reply specified above is less than thirty (30) days, a reply within the statutory minimum of thirty (30) days will be considered timely.

- If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.

- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).

- Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).

Status

1 )M Responsive to communication(s) filed on 01 August 2003 .
2b)M This action is FINAL. 2b)n This action is non-final.

3) n Since this application is in condition for allowance except for fomial matters, prosecution as to the nnerits is

closed in accordance with the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
Disposition of Claims

4) S Claim(s) 6-12 is/are pending in the application.

4a) Of the above claim(s) is/are withdrawn from consideration.

5) n Claim(s) is/are allowed.

6) 13 Claim(s) 6^12 is/are rejected,
?)□ Claim(s) is/are objected to.

8) 0 Claim(s) are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.

Application Papers

9) 0 The specification is objected to by the Examiner.

10) S The drawing(s) filed on 01 August 2003 is/are: a)M accepted or b)^ objected to by the Examiner.

Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).

1 1) 0 The proposed drawing correction filed on is: 3)0 approved b)n disapproved by the Examiner

If approved, corrected drawings are required in reply to this Office action.

12) n The oath or declaration is objected to by the Examiner.
Priority under 35 U.S.C. §§119 and 120

1 3) n Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 1 1 9(a)-(d) or (f).

a)nAII b)n Some*c)n None of:

1 .□ Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.

20 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. .

3.D Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.

14) 0 Acknowledgment is made of a claim for domestic priority under 35 U.S.C. § 1 19(e) (to a provisional application).

a) □ The translation of the foreign language provisional application has been received.

15) 0 Acknowledgment is made of a claim for domestic priority under 35 U.S.C. §§ 120 and/or 121 .

Attachment(s)

1 ) CH Notice of References Cited {PTO-892) 4) □ Interview Summary (PTO-41 3) Paper No(s).

2) □ Notice of Draftsperson's Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948) 5) □ Notice of Informal Patent Application (PTO-152)

3) □ Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO-1449) Paper No(s) . 6) □ Other:

U.S. Patent and TfBdemark Office
PTOL-326 (Rev. 04-01)

Office Action Summary

Part of Paper No. 1 9

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277
Art Unit: 2871

Page 2

DETAILED ACTION
Claims

1. Claim 6 is amended necessitating new grounds of rejection. Claim 12 is added.

Drawings

2. The drawings were received on 01 August 2003. These drawings are accepted
by examiner.

Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103

The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all
obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:

(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set
forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and
the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the
invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains.
Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.

This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of

the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of

the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein

were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation

under 37 CFR 1 .56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was

not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to

consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g)

prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(a).

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277
* Art Unit: 2871

Page 3

3. Claims 6-1 1 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
Dingwall et al (Dingwall) USPAT 5,307,188.

As to claims 6 and 9-1 1 , Dingwall teaches in Figures 2 and 3 (col. 5, lines 33-40
and col. 7, line 60 through col. 8 line 28), a liquid crystal display (LCD) device,
comprising:

an upper polarizer, 237a; on an upper substrate, 236a;

a lower substrate, 236b, on a lower polarizer, 237b, (Applicant's redundant lower
substrate); a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper substrate and the lower
substrate; and a backlight device, 224, disposed opposite and adjacent to the lower
polarizer for emitting light toward the lower polarizer (Figure 4) (please note that
adjacent does not preclude structures between those items considered to be adjacent,
e.g., two houses may be adjacent despite the existence of an intervening garage);
wherein the lower polarizer includes at least one opaque surround or black mask, 235,
(Applicant's light shielding film), formed in a rectangular shape only along the peripheral
portion of the lower polarizer (235 shaped to run along all four sides of only the
rectangular lower polarizer as illustrated in Figure 3) wherein the black mask absorbs
light (col. 8, lines 29-33, and col. 13, lines 25 and 26).

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277
■ Art Unit: 2871

Page 4

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277
• Art Unit: 2871

Page 5

FIG, 3

As to claims 7 and 8, Dingwall teaches (col. 8, lines 1 1-28) a liquid crystal display
(LCD) device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one opaque surround or black mask, 235,
(Applicant's light shielding film) is formed by a photographic process, by offset
lithography (Applicant's coating), or by screen printing (Applicant's printed material)
black mask materials that absorb the light (col. 8, lines 29-33, and col. 13, lines 25 and
26).

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277 Page 6

/ • Art Unit: 2871

4. Claims 6-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
Applicant's admitted prior art (APA) in view of Dingwall.

As to claims 6 and 9-12, APA discloses in Figures 1-4 (Specification pages 2-4),
a dot matrix (Specification, Page 2, lines 18-22) liquid crystal display (LCD) device,
comprising:

Fig. 1
(Conventional Art)

an upper polarizer, 14; on an upper substrate, 4;
a lower substrate, 4, on a lower polarizer, 12;

a liquid crystal layer (not shown) disposed between the upper substrate and the lower
substrate; and

a backlight device, 30, disposed opposite and adjacent to the lower polarizer for
emitting light toward the lower polarizer (Figure 1) (please note that adjacent does not

Application/Control Number: 09/748.277 Page 7

/ ' * Art Unit: 2871

preclude structures between those items considered to be adjacent, e.g., two houses

may be adjacent despite the existence of an intervening garage);

wherein at least a black pad, 40, that acts as a light shield (Applicant's light shielding

film) in a peripheral portion formed in a rectangular shape only along a peripheral

portion (Specification, Page 3, lines 11-14); and

wherein the light shielding film absorbs light (property of the color black).

APA does not explicitly disclose a lower polarizer that includes said light
shielding film.

Dingwall teaches in Figures 2 and 3 (col. 5, lines 33-40 and col. 7, line 60
through col. 8 line 28), a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, comprising: a lower
substrate, 236b, on a lower polarizer, 237b, that includes an opaque black mask, 235
(Applicant's light shielding film), to provide greater flexibility by first printing the black
mask to define the image elements (or viewing area) with minimal alignment concerns
to eliminate light leaks and allow the use of a true black mask rather than a gray mask
to provide a true dead front (col. 5, lines 33-46).

Dingwall is evidence that ordinary workers in the art of liquid crystals would find
the reason, suggestion, or motivation to add a lower polarizer that includes an opaque
black mask (Applicant's light shielding film) to provide greater flexibility by first printing
the black mask to define the image elements (or viewing area) with minimal alignment
concerns to eliminate light leaks and allow the use of a true black mask rather than a
gray mask to provide a true dead front.

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277 Page 8

• Art Unit: 2871

Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art of
liquid crystals at the time the invention was made to modify the LCD of APA with a lower
polarizer that includes a light shielding film of Dingwall to provide greater flexibility by
first printing the black mask to define the viewing area with minimal alignment concerns
to eliminate light leaks and allow the use of a true black mask rather than a gray mask
to provide a true dead front.

As to claims 7 and 8, Dingwall teaches (col. 8, lines 1 1-28) a liquid crystal display
(LCD) device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one opaque surround or black mask, 235,
(Applicant's light shielding film) is formed by a photographic process, by offset
lithography (Applicant's coating), or by screen printing (Applicant's printed material)
black mask materials that absorb the light (col. 8, lines 29-33, and col. 13, lines 25 and
26).

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277 Page 9

I ■ Art Unit: 2871

Response to Arguments

5. Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 6-12 have been considered but are
moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.

Conclusion

Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 -
CFR 1.136(a).

A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within
TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the
shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any
extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1 .136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of
the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later
than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.

Page 1_

Application/Control Number: 09/748,277 1

""u.— ..s— io„o.ea..— ^^^^^
e..n.s.ou..e*e.ea.o«t-ew.ose.e,ep.onenun.ens(r03,30S

04,S T.ee— cannor™,lybereao.eaonMonaav.hroug.Thursaav.

. ^ /7n'^^ ?n5-3492 The fax phone numbers
DoK^rt H Kim can be reached on (703) 30b 04y^.
supervisor, Robert H Mm can uc 070.9306

H.rP this aoplication or proceeding is assigned are (703) 872 9306
for the organization where this appiicaiion

• . c «nH (703) 872-9306 for After Final communications,
for regular communications and (703) nf^ ^

4900.

Timothy L Rude
Examiner
Art Unit 2871

TLR

October 8, 2003